Scientists Win Lasker Award for Obesity Drugs

Three scientists, Joel Habener, Svetlana Mojsov, and Lotte Bjerre Knudsen, have been awarded the prestigious Lasker Award for their groundbreaking work in developing GLP-1 receptor agonists, a new class of anti-obesity drugs that mimic a hormone regulating appetite and blood sugar levels. This recognition is viewed as a strong indicator of potential future Nobel Prize awards, given that nearly one in four Lasker laureates have received a Nobel. Their research, which began in the 1970s and 1980s at Massachusetts General Hospital, has significantly impacted the treatment landscape for obesity, enabling effective weight loss solutions that could help millions. The Lasker Foundation praised their contributions, noting the potential of GLP-1 drugs to address various health issues beyond obesity, including neurodegenerative diseases. Meanwhile, shares in Novo Nordisk, the company behind popular GLP-1 drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, fell after a report of side effects in a clinical trial for a new weight loss drug. The scientists received a joint prize of US$250,000 for their transformative work in medical science.